Obama Sworn In for Second Term

WASHINGTON ( TheStreet) -- President Obama took the oath of office for his second term just before noon Sunday in a small ceremony in the White House, according to published media reports.

The ceremony lasted less than two minutes, according to The New York Times, and precedes Monday's public inaugural celebrations.

It met the Constitution's requirement that the nation's chief executive be sworn in by noon on the Jan. 20 that follows a presidential election, the Times' report noted.

Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. administered the oath, reading from a printed text, the report said. Four years ago, Roberts had sought to administer the oath from memory, causing errors that caused Obama to repeat the ceremony later in private.

After Sunday's ceremony in the White House Blue Room, President Obama shook hands with the chief justice, turned to the crowd and said, "Thank you, everybody," the report added.

Earlier in the day, Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. was sworn in by Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor at his residence on the grounds of the Naval Observatory, The New York Times said.

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